Unfrozen

Us and them

"Open worlders" was the first negative remark form the future that the female part of Unfrozen learned. We of course had no idea what it meant, not to mention it sounded positive... Then we learned that animals were gone, because ecosystems collapsed. We didn't know yet why. And to be frank, the future guides did not introduce us properly to any of that. Just casually throwing in "Oh and yeah, the ecosystems collapsed, so animals died out, just so you know"? That did not seem professional. I sat on one of the couches in the hall, where we previously were training to regain stranght and looked towards Jasmin. I wanted to voice my concerns to her, but... I didn't think that would work, after her reaction to me trying to look back.
"I know, it's something they didn't do before, but don't you think the guides are too careless with introducing us to the new world?" my contemplation was interrupted by July, who just sat next to me and conviniently seemed to have the exact same problems with this whole thing as I did.
"Yes..." I replied, not sure how I should continue the conversation.
"I'm really interested in those future people and the way they think" she added. I was too.

"Is everyone here?" the bald guide asked and without waiting for reply, he said "Good. Let us start".

***
"Back in late 2010s, we've seen so many motivations and movements, urging us to wake up and save our planet. Little did people know, nothing had ever changed, because scientists and government gave up on the world, they concluded that humanity could never change. So they developed technologies, technologies to adapt to new circumstances. Domes protecting us from radiation and/or providing new sunlight, sustainable water circulation with 100% recycling rate, ways to prevent cities from ever running out of sustainable energy, ways to minimalise space needed to create a functional society." the nameless guide said and the room fell completely silent. I could tell, people felt guilty and powerless, because no matter what they'd do, if the big people gave up... Nothing could change.
"So they chose a few cities, cities that would survive the global warming apocalypse, away from the sea. Birmingham (where we are), Kyoto, Moscow, Johannesburg, Sydney II (a city built specifically for this scenario, away from Australian shoreline) and Chicago were the cities that managed to last till today. The construction of the domes that would separate the chosen cities from the outiside world began in 2020. The way the cities were built so fast..? Involountary labour strongly enforced by the government." guide continued the tale.
"I get the feeling, like he specifically avoids... Harsh wording" mumbled July. I didn't realise when he said that, but she was right... Involountary labour? Sounds like slavery to me.
"Specific people were assigned to move to the cities in order to be protected, along with the frozen people. With you." he paused for a moment "There was an uprage. People trying to defect to the safe spots, riots and fights were on a daily basis. Civil wars sparked, countries' leaders have been pointing fingers at each other, arguing over some promised countries never getting a safe city. Despite many delays, despite many cities being lost to the enraged masses and destroyed by warfare, which caused much less people to be able to be saved, the project New Earth was in place, at least some of its cities. Humanity was hopeless and divided. People were either trapped under domes, not being able to see how lucky they were, or left to try to survive in world that could soon face a true apocalypse. That's when the distinction between open worlders and insiders started. Open worlders hated insiders, insiders wondered what will happen, if the apocalypse never comes. But they were told, that it's inevitable, that to be in the cities is to be blessed. " the guide stopped again, looking at us. I felt nauseous. This meant that most likely, my family... Did they die in the apocalypse? I wondered. No, they couldn't have, we all lived in Birminghan! Or were they forcibly moved away..? I wanted to lie down and cry again, but the guide decided to continue the tale.
"Year 2030 was the year when consequences of human actions came crushing down on them. Despite carbon emission being smaller, than if humaity continued to progress, all the gears that would push Earth into a cataclysm were already moving, there was no stopping to the nature. Forests burned down, rivers became muddy, the cities were flooded, soil was unusable. People were dying of starvation, thirst, lack of medical help. They migrated into the land, scavengers roamed free. Yet, they strived to survive, they fought over resources and land, they stormed some of the safe cities, the desperation took over them, they weren't the same race as before. Lawless, almost feral humans. And in the other side of the barriers - us. Insiders. Human race that developed into what we are now." the guide finished his tale and bowed down, as if he had expected an applouse. Instead, people were enraged. They focused on the bad parts, the people who have been left outside, the open worlders. The wars, slavery, their families, all to the guide's shock. Confused he walked back, not seeming to understand.
"They became so selfish, the concept of compassion became alien to them..." I concluded and told July, who shook her head.
"I should have known. All great things are built on dead humans." she said and stood up "What can I do?" she sighed and stretched her hands "Let's just go along with it for now, but... Never stop questioning the system."

***
I spent the rest of the day shut off in my room, trying to disconnect myself from the reality and watch 21st century TV shows once again, but when I got to the room, I found out that... The tablet that they gave me earlier was gone, replaced by what looked like an iWatch.
"Oh no, so did those take over the society?" I groaned, pretending like that was the worst thing that could've happened to the world and tried to access it.
"Do you want to use mobile model or desktop model?" familiar voice of Cara asked me. I sighed. Can't we do this all manually.
"Desktop please...?" I tried. Cara then demanded me to place the watch on the desk, and when I did so, the device had lighted up and displayed a red holographich keyboard as well as a square next to it Next thing that appeared was the "monitor" - a 3D holographic screen that displayed one icon - loading. After a while, the robotic voice of Cara asked me to place my hand onto the red square and I did so. Another loading screen appeared and after a while the AI spoke me:
"Your details are: Eleonor Lucy Fox. Born 11. 03. 2001. Education details: N/A. Job: N/A. Martial Status: single. City: Birmingham. Living adress: N/A. Citizen id: 0103118913-U. Additional info: Unfrozen. Are those details correct? They are all needed for creating the account"
"Y-yes" I replied to the machine. It seemed like handprints were a new main way of identifying people and I wasn't really surprised that my details were already in the system. After all, I've been here already for quite a while Why would a computer need to know so much detail?
"Your communication adress; c-adress will be: el-fox-u@birmin.ins. Your account is universal and will be used to access every automated service in the city. It keeps track of your funds and status, to ensure that everything is convinient and aviable with so little effort as just touching a platform that will scan your hand. This system prevents incidents like: identity theft, loss of a debit/credit card, loss of any of the documents that can be needed. All for your convinience, Miss Fox. Welcome to the utopia that mankind dreamed of, Miss Fox." the AI continued as it registeres my account. Universal for everything, which did sound convinient indeed, but at the same time, I felt concerned about it. How much control and tracking could've been done thanks to it. I waited will the final screen appeared and decided to ask Cara more about this whole situation
"May I ask a question?" I started. A new window on an empty hologram appeared. Or rather a square, which turned into a pretty disturbing 3D, colourless, feminine face, one lacking any details.
"Ask your question, Miss Fox" Cara, which reminded me more and more of Siri, responded.
"What about anonimity?"
"Please, specify, what is your concern?" the robotic voice said while dusplaying a huge question mark on the "screen".
"If we use one account for everything, we are basically tracked, right?" I continued, but I knew where this was going.
"You still can be anonymous in online games and services, there is no obligation to show your real name. It's only linked to your account, so you will never loose access to anything." Cara had responded, clearly manipulating the answer to again only show the positives of this situation. "Did this clear yor confusion?" Cara displayed a thinking emoji.
"No, not yet-" I was interrupting by the AI starting to speak again, without allowing me to say what I wanted to exactly learn more about.
"You are able to create multiple accounts on everything and if one gets banned, you still have access through the backup ones in a game/service and no kind of extra observation over them will take place." it added. I still wanted to drill into the topic further, but I felt like that would be futile. I thought about what July said earlier. "Never stop questioning the system." She was right. This whole situation was fishy and government seemed to have all the power they wanted to see literally everything about a person with the system. But then again... I didn't have anything to hide. Maybe Jasmin was right and I should just accept it all?